I am more excited about this Conference than anything we’ve done in a long time.

But to explain why, I’m going to have to provide some background. Like everyone else, I go to Conferences. And whether I’m attending, boothing or speaking I generally have limited expectations. What I’ve found, and what I think most people discover, is that the first time you go to a Conference the learnings can be profound. But the returns diminish rapidly with – well – each return.

Why is that? Some people tend to blame conference organizers for that. Not enough new speakers is a common complaint. Others just assume that like most other educational activities, the returns diminish and take longer the more knowledgeable the learner becomes.

I suppose both those viewpoints can be true. But they mask a deeper issue – that the educational paradigm at Conferences is appropriate to a certain level of learner. At Conferences, you’re being talked at. The model is one of lecturer to student. That paradigm works fine for a certain type of learning – but it breaks down and becomes nearly useless as the problems and the learning demand increasing degrees of exploration and exchange. At some point in any learning activity, you need to transition from a model of being "talked at" to a model of "talking with."

To me, that’s a big reason why Conferences aren’t that satisfying. It also explains something else. Shortly after the Omniture Summit, Craig Danuloff of Commerce360 published this comment on his blog:

"And another interesting note; while all the best minds will tell you it’s not about the reports but rather about the analysis, insights, and actions that follow - there wasn’t to my knowledge a single session or organized discussion on anything near analysis or the ‘process’ of gaining insight from of all this tracking. Everything was implied - do this, you’ll be able to track that, then "you’ll know"."

Craig Danuloff, Commerce360 Blog writing about the Omniture Summit

Yes. Exactly.

This isn’t a failing of the Omniture Summit – it’s a statement about the way things are. It’s part of the reason I started my recent blog series on actually doing analytics (beginning with the 7-Part Series on measuring Internal Search). And I think a good chunk of the reason things are and always will be this way is that you can’t learn how to do analysis by hearing a lecture.

Enter X Change. Because X Change IS going to be different. Instead of the usual round of presentations from the usual (very good – because that isn’t the problem) speakers, almost the whole of the conference will be dedicated to small group sessions where you talk through specific web measurement and analysis problems. Each session will have a facilitator expert in that particular area. Someone who has worked hands on in the topic and cares deeply about the issues in question.

That means you’ll get a chance not just to hear Eric Peterson do his usual great presentation (yes – he’s the keynoter!!) – but you’ll have an opportunity to sit with him in a small group (five or ten people) and really talk about analytics process; what’s worked for you and what hasn’t. You’ll have chance to brainstorm, to go into the kind of depth that just isn’t possible in other settings. To me, when you’re a professional, that’s the only way to really learn. I’ve sat and talked with Eric many times – and every time I do I learn new, interesting stuff.

These small group break-outs (we’re calling them Huddles) will cover a wide range of topics. All will be small, interactive, conversational. An exchange.

You might choose to talk about issues like Ajax and Search or the implications of Universal Search with the very cool Paul Bruemmer from RedDoor. I’ve worked with Paul for a while now, and he brings both immense knowledge and (even more important in SEO) great common sense to the issues surrounding Search.

Or perhaps you’ll sit down with Manoj Jasra and talk measurement in Social Networking. It’s an intimidating topic. One that I don’t think you can really "get" without a lot of back-and-forth about your own particular "community" and measurement challenges. Not many people have thought about and worked in these areas enough to really help a practitioner think their way through the really important how-tos. Manoj has. Or for a trip on the wild side consider sitting down with Marshall Sponder and finding out how to measure Second Life. Marshall’s done real-world work here for IBM – and if your company is experimenting with Second Life, wouldn’t it be nice to talk with someone who’s actually doing Second Life measurement?

And, of course, there will be plenty of Semphonic people too. Paul Legutko will help people think about how to measure the true causes of engagement on Media sites. This is a huge issue. Paul’s done fascinating work here that I think will get any analyst for a media site buzzing with excitement. My co-founder Joel Hadary will be helping analysts think about incorporating cost-models and lifetime value into Executive Reporting. Because with all the attention focused on the presentation of information, it’s getting the right data in front of decision-makers that really matters.

I’ll be doing some Huddles on a couple of topics dear to my heart - Functional Analysis and Measuring Brand Value on websites. I’ll also try to participate in many of the others. As I look at the Huddle topics already in place I feel a bit like a kid with a Toy catalog before Christmas – I can’t wait and I want them all!

Think how cool it will be to really talk with people like this (and many more – we’re doing Speaker announcements in waves) in time that’s set aside to deeply explore your most important learnings and issues. To be a part, not a target, of the conversation. How valuable can it be to hear people like Eric and Paul and Manoj (and me) when we don’t have to sell you and we don’t have to preach to you and we don’t have to pretend to know all the answers? I’m thinking pretty damn valuable.

Oh and all this with no sales and no selling. I promise. Not from us at Semphonic and not from anyone we invite. There will be no vendor pitches, no paid presentations, no thinly veiled marketing advertorials. Just a fantastic opportunity to talk, learn, explore and co-teach web measurement and analytics.

It’s a change in paradigm – and one that I hope can drive tremendous value to real-world practitioners in web measurement who feel like they are near or at maxxed out with traditional conferences.

Obviously, with this format, X Change won’t be large. We aren’t going to have hundreds of people. We want people who need more than the other conferences can provide. People heavily invested in web measurement. People from enterprises with a significant stake in analytics. I’m assuming that many – probably half – are going to be from Semphonic clients. But the event is open. And if you are serious about analytics, I think it will be the best investment you could ever make.

Think of it as Top Gun for web measurement.

Did I mention the location? Yes, we want it to be a perk too! We’re based in Marin County just north of San Francisco and the X Change is going to be in nearby Napa Valley at the spectacular Copia facility. This place is gorgeous. The food is great. The wine is even better. September 20th & 21st is right smack in the middle of crush time in Napa. And the weather is pretty sure to be perfect. Come to X Change and then spend the weekend in Napa.

So where do you sign up? You can register online (and get more details) at www.semphonic.com/conf. And if you have questions, need more information or think you’d be great facilitating a Huddle – drop me a line.

» SemPhonic X Change Conference from WebMetricsGuru
I wrote about the X Change Conference recently in Attending Semphonic XChange Conference - Sept 20th - 21st; now Gary Angel, one of the principal organizers, has blogged about the event:...Its a change in paradigm and one that I... [Read More]

Tracked on June 13, 2007 at 09:55 PM

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